


Micro-ficlets: A Glimmer of Hope

by Unforth



Series: Prompt Fics: Other Fandoms [9]
Category: Oathtakers series - Nina Waters
Genre: M/M, See each chapter for relevant tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-09 12:31:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19475971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unforth/pseuds/Unforth
Summary: A collection of ficlets, all approximately 500 words or less, featuring the characters from my original novel series, the Oathtakers. All of these are Gregolai.Each chapter, the chapter title indicates the rating, and the prompt for the ficlet.





	1. Gen - Yarn Store AU

**Author's Note:**

> Rating: Gen  
> Ship: Gregory/Praskovya  
> Characters: Greg, Yermolai  
> Tags: Modern AU, meet cute, knitting fluff

“‘Learn to knit,’” grumbled Gregory under his breath, mimicking Abbey, “'it’ll be fun!’ 'Fun’ my left one…” Discouraged, he threw the tangled mess of yarn on the table.

“May I help you?”

Startled, Gregory looked up to see the tall employee who’d been working the desk standing beside him, wearing an apron for no obvious reason and a name tag identifying him as Yermolai.

“No, I’m fine…” Gregory sighed. Yermolai waited expectantly. “It’s just…” He gestured at the knotted disaster before him.

“Allow me,” Yermolai said, taking up the mess at Gregory’s gestured invitation. His fingers were lithe and deft and Gregory had the insane urge to suck one of them. “I’m an expert at knots.” He winked.

He had gorgeous eyes, too.

As Gregory watched, curious the secret of this magic, Yermolai took up the yarn, tugged at it, fiddled with it, reached into the front of his apron…and pulled out a pair of scissors. With two quick snips, he excised the knotted portion, pocketed it, and then he knotted the remaining ends.

“Et voila!”

Blinking, Gregory laughed ruefully. “That would have never occurred to me.”

“What you need is the help of an expert,” Yermolai said, grabbing the chair and sitting beside him. “Let me teach you.”

“Anything you want,” agreed Gregory fervently. And blanched. Hed fricken said that aloud.

Fuck his life.

…then again, judging by Yermolai’s answering grin, maybe it hadn’t been the wrong thing to say after all.

“One step at a time!” Yermolai scolded. “See, hold it like this…?”

“Greg,” he supplied.

“Greg…” Yermolai rolled the name over his tongue, savoring it, and a shiver ran down Gregory’s spine. “One step at a time…show me you can learn to knit, then we’ll discuss what else I can teach you…I only accept the best students…”

Gregory stared so intently his vision blurred, soaking up every word Yermolai said. He’d never excelled at school, but this was one test he intended to ace.


	2. Gen - Bedsharing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Gen  
> Ship: Gregolai  
> Characters: Gregory, Yermolai  
> Tags: Modern AU, bedsharing, Yermolai is a little shit

Yermolai side-eyed Gregory and was relieved to see him thoroughly distracted by the complimentary cookies that the hotel concierge had offered them. 

“Rebook us,” he hissed to the receptionist. The man - Rick, his name tag said - blinked at Yermolai in confusion. Yermolai pulled a twenty from his pocket and slid it across the desk. “Tell him you’re out doubles. Put us in a single.”

Rick glanced at the twenty, glanced at Yermolai, glanced at Gregory, and shrugged.

And took the cash.

Making discouraged noises, the man tacked-tacked-tacked at his keyboard, and drew Gregory’s attention back with a, “sir, I’m afraid there’s a problem with your reservation.”

“Crap, what’s wrong?” asked Gregory, resigned.

“All our two bed rooms have been taken,” Rick lamented. “I’ll have to put you and your friend in a single.”

The color drained from Gregory’s face, his eyes going wide with…terror, Yermolai thought, though the flush that started to rise in his cheeks was _definitely_ arousal. Yermolai met the look with complacence, a polite smile, and helpless grin. 

“It’s alright,” he reassured Rick. “I’m sure we’ll manage. Right, Gregory?”

“Of course…” Gregory muttered. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No couch, either.”

“The floor.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Gregory,” Yermolai said brightly. “We can share the bed!”

“We can?! I mean…uh…we can?”

“Yes, we can. We will.”

“Room 312 - down the hall to the elevators, then all the way at the end. Enjoy your stay!”

And Yermolai grabbed Gregory’s arm and steered him to the elevators.

He’d been waiting for this opportunity for _years._ He wasn’t going to waste it now.

“Are you _sure_ you’re okay with this, Yermolai?” asked Gregory weakly. “We could get a second room…”

_…and if he doesn’t wake up curled around me in the morning, we’re going to have a very stern talk about his priorities…_

“Gregory. I promise. I am _absolutely_ fine with this.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. Oh. Now, do you want the right side or the wrong side?”

“What?” spluttered Gregory.

“I asked if you wanted the right side or the left side of the bed,” Yermolai repeated serenely.

Gregory had never looked more adorably bewildered.

Yeah, it was gonna be a _great_ night.


	3. Gen - Arranged Marriage AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Gen  
> Ship: Gregolai  
> Characters: Gregory, Teyrngar  
> Tags: Fantasy AU, arranged marriage, first meeting, poor Greg

“No, Teryn, it’s not right - I don’t give a damn what the Herzog says, I’m not conning some poor sap into marrying me no matter what political advantage it brings.”

“I think when you get a look at him, you’ll change your mind,” said Teryngar, waving Gregory over as she shifted a curtain aside enough for him to see his groom to be standing at the altar.

“I won’t!” insisted Gregory, but he obliged her by stepping up to take a look. “I…” His intended was tall, dark haired, black eyed, lithe and gorgeous in his wedding clothes. Gregory swallowed. “…okay, you have a point.”

*But if I actually like him, that’s all the more reason not to trap him…and maybe if I set him free, he might actually choose me someday? Nonsense…why should anyone, least of all Yermolai Berezin, choose me when he could have the pick of the kingdom?*

“I won’t go through with it.”


	4. Gen - Bodyguard AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Gen  
> Ship: Gregolai  
> Characters: Greg, Yermolai  
> Tags: Modern AU, meetcute or something, bodyguard Yermolai, client Greg

Baffled, Gregory blinked at the gorgeous man standing before him.

“My apologies,” the man said, switching to German. “I was told you spoke Russian.” Greg repressed an honest to God groan; the man was *even hotter* in German. “My name is Yermolai, and I’ve been hired to be your bodyguard until the danger is passed.” He held out his hand to shake.

Greg stared.

Greg shook his head.

“I am so screwed.”

Yermolai broke into a grin. “Don’t worry. I’m excellent at my job.”

So, so screwed.


	5. Gen - Tea Shop AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: Gen  
> Ship: Gregolai  
> Characters: Yermolai, Greg  
> Tags: Modern AU, coffeestop AU, barista Greg, meet cute, first date

Day 1, the barista wrote Yermolai on his cup. Spelled correctly. In cyrillic.

Day 2, Yermolai made sure to read the scruffy man’s name tag. Gregory. A good, strong name.

Day 3, Gregory doodled a flower on the cup.

Day 4, Gregory must have noticed how much sugar Yermolai added to his Irish Breakfast, ‘cause he wrote “almost as sweet as you.”

Day 5, Yermolai didn’t order anything. He just stood by the register and chatted.

Day 6, Gregory wrote his phone number in lieu of Yermolai’s name.

And on the seventh day, they rested. Together.


End file.
